Are things getting a bit silly?

[photo_ed]

I've just been ruminating on this over the last couple of days...

I know us Trophy owners are a keen bunch and in some cases real sticklers for originality, but there seems to be a reoccurring theme of certain parts coming onto the market recently with some eyewatering prices attached. And I'm not just talking about the 'pick a number' scenario being exercised by Renault themselves on some stuff.

I know bits for the cars are getting hard to find and difficult to source and as such that's obviously going to see their values increase with the rarity values much like the cars themselves, but just recently this 'Trophy Tax' as I call it has been in my opinion going a little bit silly. A pair of the remanufactured group buy front springs for £500 anyone? Five Hundred Pounds.... These were £150 in the group buy, and to be fair to everyone who's sold on a pair through this forum they've only ever asked that figure back, to cover their initial outlay. There's also the fact that these springs are still available from France - brand new - for around £180 (plus shipping and duty), and I hear Kam Racing and Grams are currently beavering away on creating a set of Springs to the original Trophy spec which will certainly be retailing at significantly less that £500.

The latest spring scenario is reminiscent of the set of dampers on eBay not long since - not perfect and definitely in need of a service before use - and the seller's buy it now began at several thousand pounds (£3.5k I think it was from memory). There's no doubt that some of the bits and bobs for our cars do command a certain value now, but some of the things I see just seem unrealistic and over the top, it begs the question do these sellers think that us Trophy owners are all a little gullible with more brass than sense?

 

[MarcB]

5l Genuine Type D Coolant for sale at £57.99 a bottle

 

[MarcB]

If these sell I will be shocked as even though they are made by Eibach they are still not original as such.




What could I ask for my original Renault Trophy Springs in this case . . . . . . . . £700 ??

 

[Mike256]

It happens quite a lot with Japanese specialist cars. People just seem to invent prices for rare items and add scene tax to it.

Saying that I have a spare bootlid already painted in Capsicum red, yours for £400.

 

[photo_ed]

If these sell I will be shocked as even though they are made by Eibach they are still not original as such.


View attachment 33837

What could I ask for my original Renault Trophy Springs in this case . . . . . . . . £700 ??





View attachment 33838

....£750 at least Marc.



Still with the labels on like yours.

 

[Ajracer]

My 2 Genuine drive shafts still in their boxes are probably worth more than #151

 

[hoolio]

Pah, that’s nothing. I have a pair of in bag rear exhaust surrounds. Priceless I’d say.

 

[marrow]

I just spent £15 for a single screw I lost for a 25 year old Italian ice cream machine.! The retailer told me 'find another one'. Fair point!

 

[Claude]

Isn’t it like anything? If you want it, you decide if the price is worth paying or not. And in making that decision you’d also have to consider the availability/supply of the exact product you desire and the ease of purchasing it, vs alternatives which might be close but not an exact match.

It’s a seller’s market so they can choose to market their product at any price point they choose, even if it’s £1m.

And if you don’t want it… well, move on and look for what it is you do want

 

[photo_ed]

Isn’t it like anything? If you want it, you decide if the price is worth paying or not. And in making that decision you’d also have to consider the availability/supply of the exact product you desire and the ease of purchasing it, vs alternatives which might be close but not an exact match.

It’s a seller’s market so they can choose to market their product at any price point they choose, even if it’s £1m.

And if you don’t want it… well, move on and look for what it is you do want

Of course, folk can do as they like to price stuff at whatever they want, my observation is that some of that pricing is becoming somewhat optimistic when you can still source the original items elsewhere for less than half the price, or from reliable sources more reasonably.

So, who are they trying to kid?

But, everyone loves a trier as it were...

 

[photo_ed]

Pah, that’s nothing. I have a pair of in bag rear exhaust surrounds. Priceless I’d say.

Your parts hoard is an enviable thing Jules..

 

[hoolio]

Your parts hoard is an enviable thing Jules..

I wish it were more enviable. I suspect there are others with more I saw what happened with the 5GTT scene when parts literally disappeared overnight and I failed to read the writing on the wall with the Clio stuff until too late. Some of the stuff I have for the 5 is worth a small fortune, daft really.

 

[photo_ed]

I wish it were more enviable. I suspect there are others with more I saw what happened with the 5GTT scene when parts literally disappeared overnight and I failed to read the writing on the wall with the Clio stuff until too late. Some of the stuff I have for the 5 is worth a small fortune, daft really.

I know what you mean. I do feel I've been a bit slow on the uptake with some of the Clio stuff too, foolish of me really when I've hoarded BMC Mini parts for years...